Peace of Mind
by groaar
Summary: The morning paper brings some very bad news for Crocodile. Shock and disbelief ensue. He cannot quite believe it, yet somewhere Crocodile knows it's true; he has lost the one person that he cared for, forever. Hints of doflaxcroc, character death.


Very short story. Needed to get written so that I could get it out of my head.  
I usually don't write tragic or sad stuff, so I don't know how this turned out, but I hope it's readable.  
This story isn't connected to my other DxC stories.

Disclaimer: One Piece, and consequently Crocodile and Doflamingo, belong to Eiiciro Oda.  
Warning: character death, also subtle hints of mxm relationship.

* * *

Crocodile had never thought things would come to this. He hadn't even considered it an option. Not even now, with hard proof at hand, could he fully comprehend the situation. Never had it crossed his mind that the blond would go before him. His head was empty. He couldn't think straight.

He couldn't think at all.

All Crocodile was capable of was to sit on his bed and stare into thin air; at his empty room. He was truly at a loss of what to do. He hadn't planned for this.

Sighing feebly, the dark haired pirate rested his forehead against the palm of his hand. Why was he sitting here anyway? What was he waiting for? The morning edition of today's newspaper had stated matters clearly, and a phone call had later confirmed it. So, why was it that he still sat here in disbelief, expecting the flamboyant man to burst through the doors any given second?

He shook his head in exasperation, letting out a shaky breath. He was sweaty, soaked to the degree that strands of dark hair actually clung to his neck. How long had he been sitting here? What time was it? He really couldn't tell… But what did it matter anyway? Time could change nothing, because time only moved forward, and the future had nothing in store for Crocodile.

Not any longer...

This morning the captain had searched his quarters for reminders of the blond; mementos of any kind. He had found two pink feathers. Only two, no more. Nothing else. These now lay neatly beside him on top of the bed linen. They were agonizing reminders. The more Crocodile rested his golden eyes upon them the more he started to resent the sight of them, and soon he reached the point where he could take it no more.

Ruthlessly the hooked man grabbed the feathers and crushed them inside his hand. Feathers though, couldn't be destroyed by pressure alone… Crocodile choked down something that threatened to rise from deep within him, something he didn't want to acknowledge. He clamped his mouth shut, and swallowed. He had to get rid of the feathers, now. He let this thought dominate his mind.

Slowly, on weak legs, Crocodile got up from his bed, never once loosening his death grip on the feathers. He staggered out of his room and onto deck, supporting himself with the golden hook whenever necessary. He headed for the railing, without hesitation, his reptilian eyes filled with resolve.

The captain extended his good arm over the wooden barrier, and palm facing upward Crocodile uncurled his hand.

One of the feathers immediately fell off his palm and slowly floated down towards the blue, salty water. It was now but a part of the great sea, a speck of colour in a mass of azure. It stood out, much like its previous owner, like an eyesore in the grey masses – a misplaced creature – and yet it looked beautiful. The pirate rapidly closed his hand around the remaining feather, suddenly very reluctant to let it go.

The constant interruptions, the obnoxious smile, the flashy attitude, the ridiculously large frame, the deep voice, the warm skin, the soft hands… All that he had grown accustomed to – gone.

Crocodile felt pain building up inside him and he pressed the hand clutching the feather tightly towards his chest in an effort to keep it locked in, but to no avail. It spread throughout his body, like a ravenous flame eating away at dry wood, till it had fully engulfed him.

Mercilessly.

He was alone.

The realisation hit Crocodile hard.

The pain was more intense, more severe than any he'd known before. He had never thought it'd hurt this much. That he'd be affected to this degree. It was just the blond, it shouldn't be a big deal, but…he'd be alone from now on. Forever.

Forever...

Salty water. In the sea, on his cheeks. The scarred pirate felt as if he was drowning, his breath stuck in his throat. Faint, petrified, helpless…

As he watched the fluffy feather sail away, bobbing lightly in the hands of the tranquil waves, Crocodile could only wish that Doflamingo had finally achieved peace of mind.

* * *

Thank you for reading.  
Feel free to leave a comment, it would be much appreciated.  
Hope you all have a great day! (and that you aren't stuck in school all day like I…)

For those who read my previous DxC works:  
Although I said in the beginning that this story holds no connection to my two previous DxC fics, I suppose it could be read as an alternative ending to it, if you won't happen though, I've spent too much time on that story to end it this tragically, I think.  
Still, I found the concept interesting and so this was born.


End file.
